We’re officially two weeks into October, and we all know what that means: Halloween. Along with the spooky season comes the urge to relax and watch your favorite scary movies with a cup of hot chocolate.
But watching “The Nightmare Before Christmas” every year can get boring, which is why I sat down and watched nothing but horror movies for a whole week, so that I could find the best ones for you to add to your Halloween tradition.
“John Dies at the End” (2013)
Based on the novel by David Wong, this film is a comedic horror movie about a lot of different things. From a mysterious drug called Soy Sauce that makes you see the paranormal to telekinetic hot dogs, “John Dies at the End” is one of the most obscure movies that has ever graced Netflix. Although the movie can be cheesy at times, it keeps you guessing, as what happens next is always a mystery. There are scorpion/spider hybrid monsters, alternate dimensions and a biological supercomputer, and that’s only the tip of the chaotic iceberg.
If you’re looking for a movie that will make you laugh and make you question reality, this one is for you.
“Clown” (2014)
Produced by Eli Roth, this movie is exactly what it sounds like. Despite being yet another clown movie, “Clown” actually does a decent job at being original. A loving father dresses up as a clown for his son’s birthday party, only to find out that the costume he put on is actually a demon’s skin.
The longer he wears the costume, the more it tries to become his actual skin. The costume also makes him need to eat children to survive. Aside from some predictable and overused tropes, such as the idea of an ancient demon from another culture becoming relevant to Americans, the movie keeps you on your toes.
Overall, “Clown” is your typical Eli Roth movie: it has guts, gore, and violence. If that’s your thing, give it a shot.
“The Babadook” (2014)
“The Babadook” is a standard paranormal entity story. The movie focuses on a single mom and her estranged son, who finds a disturbing book called “Mister Babadook,” that suddenly appears in their house. Sam, the child, becomes convinced that the monster is real.
Throughout the movie, the duo senses that the Babadook is surrounding them: glimpses from out of the corners of their eyes, strange noises, doors closing, and even glass shards in their food.
As a whole, the movie keeps you entertained (and it even made its way into the meme industry this summer). It leaves you uneasy, it keeps you guessing, and it’s a bit of a psychological horror. Who can’t get behind all that?
“Sleepy Hollow” (1999)
Directed by Tim Burton and therefore naturally starring Johnny Depp, “Sleepy Hollow” (inspired by Washington Irving’s story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”) is all about the headless horseman.
Although not strictly a horror movie, Burton does what he does best – turning a strange story with a beautiful color scheme into something you can’t help but love. It’s eerie and spooky, but won’t give you nightmares.
“Wes Craven’s New Nightmare” (1994)
As a strong advocate of slasher movies, there’s no way I could exclude Wes Craven’s movies from the list. This movie in particular, however, is different from most “Nightmare on Elm Street” movies, and that’s what makes it one of the best.
Instead of being in a hypothetical world with fictional characters, “Wes Craven’s New Nightmare” is about Heather Langenkamp, the actress who played Nancy Thompson, being visited by Freddy Krueger in her dreams years after the movies came out.
Wes Craven never disappoints – “New Nightmare” puts an amazing twist on some already amazing movies, and it’s the perfect movie to add to your Halloween season.
